Accurate identification of the onset of muscle activity is an important element in the biomechanical analysis of human movement. The purpose of this study was to determine if inclusion of the Teager–Kaiser energy operator (TKEO) in signal conditioning would increase the accuracy of popular electromyography (EMG) onset detection methods. Three methods, visual determination, threshold-based method, and approximated generalized likelihood ratio were used to estimate the onset of EMG burst with and without TKEO conditioning. Reference signals, with known onset times, were constructed from EMG signals collected during isometric contraction of the vastus lateralis (n = 17). Additionally, vastus lateralis EMG signals (n = 255) recorded during gait were used to evaluate a clinical application of the TKEO conditioning. Inclusion of TKEO in signal conditioning significantly reduced mean detection error of all three methods compared with signal conditioning without TKEO, using artificially generated reference data (13 vs. 98 ms, p < 0.001) and also compared with experimental data collected during gait (55 vs. 124 ms, p < 0.001). In conclusion, addition of TKEO as a step in conditioning surface EMG signals increases the detection accuracy of EMG burst boundaries.

No abstract

Age-related adaptations in the recruitment pattern of leg muscles during gait significantly contribute to the high C(w) in old adults. Clinical interventions optimizing the neural control of leg muscles during gait could reduce C(w) consequently the relative effort needed for exercise and activities of daily living in old adults.

Unilateral lengthening contractions provide a greater stimulus for neuromuscular adaptation than shortening contractions in the active and non-active contralateral homologous muscle, although little is known of the potential mechanism. Here we examined the possibility that corticospinal and spinal excitability vary in a contraction-specific manner in the relaxed right flexor carpi radialis (FCR) when humans perform unilateral lengthening and shortening contractions of the left wrist flexors at the same absolute force. Corticospinal excitability in the relaxed right FCR increased more during lengthening than shortening at 80 and 100% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) diminished during shortening contractions and it became nearly abolished during lengthening. Intracortical facilitation (ICF) lessened during shortening but increased during lengthening. Interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) to the "non-active" motor cortex diminished during shortening and became nearly abolished during lengthening at 90% MVC. The amplitude of the H-reflex in the relaxed right FCR decreased during and remained depressed for 20 s after lengthening and shortening of the left wrist flexors. We discuss the possibility that instead of the increased afferent input, differences in the descending motor command and activation of brain areas that link function of the motor cortices during muscle lengthening vs. shortening may cause the contraction-specific modulation of ipsilateral motor cortical output. In conclusion, ipsilateral M1 responses to TMS are contraction-specific; unilateral lengthening and shortening contractions reduced contralateral spinal excitability but uniquely modulated ipsilateral corticospinal excitability and the networks involved in intracortical and interhemispheric connections, which may have clinical implications.